Previous first-round draft pick Mark Barron has consented to a one-year deal with the Denver Broncos, the group declared Sunday.
Barron had been in the Denver territory since Thursday early daytime experiencing COVID-19 testing conventions, sources said.
Barron will give linebacker depth for Denver, basically replacing tenderfoot linebacker Justin Strnad, who will miss the season in the wake of going through wrist surgery a week ago.
Barron, who turns 31 in October, became a free agent when he was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 16 after only one season with the team.
He began nine of 15 games and played 70% of the defensive snaps for the Steelers in 2019. By releasing him, Pittsburgh saved $5.25 million in salary-cap space.
Barron was released by the Los Angeles Rams in 2019 in the wake of going through five seasons with the team, during which he was instrumental in helping it win consecutive division titles in 2017 and ’18 and acquire its first Super Bowl appearance since the 2001 season.
The Rams procured Barron halfway through the 2014 season from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who chose him with the seventh overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft.
The Rams moved Barron from security to linebacker during the 2015 season, and he completed his first season at the position with 116 tackles, five pass deflections and three constrained mishandles.
Generally speaking, he has showed up in 119 games (102 beginnings) in his career and has 710 tackles, 12 sacks, 9 interceptions and 5 forced fumbles.
Additionally Sunday, Denver asserted offensive tackle Darrin Paulo off waivers from New Orleans.
